A CRACKDOWN on thieves who steal metal and then trade it in at scrapyards has been hailed a success by police in Stockton.

Thefts of metal in the Stockton district have dropped by 30% since Operation Graphite was rolled out force-wide in April this year after a successful pilot in Stockton.

During the six months since the operation’s launch, there have been 330 reports of metal theft in the Stockton area, compared with 469 in the six months prior to Operation Graphite - November 2007 to April 2008.

The operation was stepped up in July when Smartwater was introduced as a theft prevention tool. The special water was sprayed over targets such as drain covers, gates and lead and other metals on buildings such as churches and schools.

Inspector Steve Young, of Stockton’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Before launching Operation Graphite there had been a steady increase in the number of thefts of metal from houses, churches and other buildings.

“The demand for metals such as copper, steel and lead in countries like China had led to a rise in their scrap value and the thieves had been cashing in. While we still have some way to go, it is evident Operation Graphite has been instrumental in cutting the number of thefts. However, we are not complacent, and we continue to be tough in our efforts to clamp down on metal thefts.”

Insp Young said officers continued to work closely with the local council, scrap metal merchants, Smartwater teams and the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) in order to stop thieves trading stolen metals for cash. He said metal handed in to scrapyards on Teesside would be placed under a UV light on a conveyor belt to look for Smartwater.

The special water - which is invisible and carries a unique DNA-style code linking it to the owner of the metal - only shows up when exposed to UV light.

Insp Young said: “If Smartwater shows up on the metal or the person trading it in, they will be arrested for theft or handling stolen goods.

“Cleveland Police officers will carry small UV torches in future Graphite operations in order to check every piece of metal handed in to scrapyards.

“This is a warning to thieves not to bother stealing drain covers or lead flashings as they are covered in Smartwater and no scrapyards will accept them. If you do attempt to take stolen goods to scrap metal merchants, there will be officers there waiting to arrest you.”

Cases of metal theft on Teesside have included an incident in the summer when a man was scarred for life when he allegedly tried to steal live copper cable at an electricity sub-station on Portrack Lane roundabout, Stockton.